Washing-machine attachment



June 24, 1930. E. .1. ERICKSON WASHING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 25. 1929 INVENTOR j BY a m" I o ATTORNIV Patented June 24, 1930 UNITE STATS EMMA J. ERIGKSON, or Kiwi-anon, sou'rn DAKOTA WASHING- MACHINE ATTACHMENT Application filed October 25, 1929. Serial No. 402,519.

This invention relates to attachments for washing machines and more articularly to attachment for that type of washing machines embodying the usual tub, the agitator head shaft, and the manually operable gear means for rotating the agitator shaft, and the primary object of the invention is to overcome certain disadvantages which machines of this type present, namely a means to prevent the agitator shaft working upwardly through the top of the tub to render the operating means inactive.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for this purpose mounted for swinging movement into and out of active position so that, when necessary the agitator shaft may be moved upwardly through the top of the'tub when the top is to be removed or swung open.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying draw ing wherein like characters denotelike 0r corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device embodying the invention mounted upon the top or lid of a washing machine of the type referred to above.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the device mounted upon the washing machine.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the washing machine tub.

In the drawing the washing machine tub is indicated by the numeral 1 and is provided with the usual assembled lid or cover 2 through which the usual agitator shaft, indicated by the numeral 3, is fitted, the shaft being rotatable in an opening formed central ly in the said lid 2 and provided at its lower end with the usual agitator head 4. A gear 5 is fixed upon the upper end of the shaft 3 and this gear meshes with a rack bar 6 which is supported for reciprocation above the lid 2,

and which isreciprocated through the medium of a hand lever 7 mounted upon one side of the tub 1.

As previously stated, one disadvantage presented by a washing machine of this type is that the shaft 3 is liable to work upwardly through the opening in the lid 2, due to the accumulation of clothing beneath the agitator head 4. In order to prevent this displacement of the shaft, I employ the device shown in device in Figures 3 of the drawing. The said device comprises an approximately triangular flat sided head 8 which is of metal, and which, at its minor end, is provided with a downwardlyright-angularlyextendingshank 9, and at the lower end of the shank with an attaching ear, indicated by the numeral 10.

The attaching ear 10 is disposed upon the upper side of the lid 2 and a bolt 11 is fitted through an opening 12 in the said ear and through an opening in the lid 2, the member 8 being in this manner mounted for swiveling movement, about the bolt, upon the top or lid of the machine, and it will be observed by reference to Figure 1 of the drawing that the abutment member may be swung to the full line position shown in the said figure whereby the portion 8 will overlap the upper end of the shaft 8, and this constitutes an abutment for the said end of the shaft to prevent this upward movement through the opening in the lid. Therefore, there is no likelihood of any disarrangement of the gear 5 with respect to the rack bar 6, and at the same time when it is desired to remove the clothes from the tub, this may be accomplished by swinging the member 8 about the bolt 11 until-the said member 8 clears the upper end of the shaft 3 whereupon the shaft may be lifted through the opening together with the gear 15 and and the lid swung or lifted so as to provide access to the interior of the tub.

What I claim is The combination with awashing machine of the type including a. tub having a lid, an agitator shaft extending upwardy through the lid, a gear upon said shaft, and means meshing with the gear and operable to rotate the same to effect rotation of the agitator shaft, of means for preventing upward displacement of the shaft through the lid, the said means comprising an abutment member including a base portion swivelled upon the lid, a portion upstanding substantially at right angles with respect thereto and beside the periphery of the gear, and a portion extending from the upper end of the upstanding portion and broadened in the direction of its outer end and projecting above the free end of the shaft to offer an obstruction to upward movement of the shaft, the space above the gear being unobstructed and the said member being movable about its swivel into and out of position to obstruct the shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. EMMA J. ERICKSON. 

